Making and Talking Menopause with the MenoMakers
Welcome to the Menopause It used to be a secret But now… It’s too big not to talk about. [Nelissa Mendy, 2022]. The MenoMakers discussion and craft group has been running for two years in North Kensington, London. It has given us a much-needed space to talk about our menopause, one that we didn’t have… Continue reading→
Plants as research partners?
Can plants participate in Brigstow’s mission to co-produce knowledge? The Institute’s research into living well involves diverse groups from academia and beyond, each bringing their own experiences and histories to bear as values and ideas mingle. In our project, Growing Liveable Worlds, one of our goals was to experiment by inviting plants into the Brigstow… Continue reading→
Navigating the unnavigable
This was my first experience of creative co-produced academic research. We’ve been looking at improving access to dentistry for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. It was something I’d really wanted, had initiated and pursued over a long period of time recognising the role of academia to be a bridge between communities and services. Research… Continue reading→
Creative Engagement Training with Play:Disrupt
“Play is about being open and vulnerable. Play is all about that vulnerability, about being responsive, yielding to the moment. You might not be playing, but if you are willing to play, at the drop of a hat, the bounce of a ball, the glance of a toddler, the wag of a tail – then… Continue reading→
A study of gender construction, healthy relationships and gender-based violence in England & Ghana: An interdisciplinary participatory research with Young Advisors (13-18)
An increasing number of studies have promoted the meaningful involvement of children and young people in research focusing on various topics such as the lived experiences of young refugees in exile or the mental health benefits of childhood play space and a number of other areas. However, only a small number of studies have investigated… Continue reading→
MenoMakers Exhibition-in-a-Box
Since September 2021 a group of women have been meeting monthly in North Kensington to make and talk menopause. These meetings have resulted in an exchange of knowledge and experiences, and have explored the therapeutic potential of creativity. The MenoMakers aim to initiate and normalise menopause conversations, combat stigma and improve wellbeing. We also develop… Continue reading→
International Women’s Day 2023: Embracing Equity
#EmbracingEquity #IWD2023 One cold morning at the end of February in the privacy, warmth and safety of the Brigstow office I disclosed a poor wardrobe mishap that had given me a bumpy start to the day, and for my colleagues it opened up past recollections of sexist behaviours and attitudes to women, both humorous stories… Continue reading→
A series of coproduced creative workshops to improve access to dental services for adult survivors of child sex abuse
It is known that survivors of child sexual abuse have poorer oral health than the general population. This is from a combination of difficulties maintaining personal oral health routines and attending dental practices. This study included survivors, psychologist, sociologist, dentist, scientist among its team, and also had the input of service providers and dental professionals… Continue reading→
Reflections on ‘Lost Property’ and ‘Nothing Echoes Here’
Dr Lesel Dawson and Dr Jimmy Hay presented their films to an audience of peers, academics, practitioners of film, and enthusiasts of cinema. The films were the product of a series of practice-as-research Brigstow funded projects that sought to explore if it is possible to convey the lived experience of grief, loss, and bereavement in… Continue reading→